Debriefing on Uganda’s Participation in the 69th CSW: Advancing Commitments to the Beijing Platform for Action

On 07/05/2025 Girls Not Brides Uganda attended a Debriefing Meeting on 69th Commission on Status of Women (CSW), organized by the Ministry of Gender and UN Women and hosted by IGAD at the latter’s National Office –Naguru Kampala.

The MoGLSD presented a report of what transpired at the side event at the 69th CSW in March 2025.

GNBU has been praised and thanked for supporting the MoGLSD to participate in the event. Thanks to Co-Chair Patience (Plan International) for making that happen. 

This meeting has, among other things, come up with an action plan of implementing the agreed conclusion of 69th CSW 2025 under the Theme: The review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Outcomes of the 23rd Special Session of the General Assembly”

The Plan will focus on:

1. Combating all forms of gender-based violence, from online abuse to conflict-related sexual violence;
2. Advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda through financing of National Action Plans;
3. Ensuring women’s full and equal participation in decision-making processes
4. Invest in education, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), and digital inclusion;
5. Upholding human rights and addressing intersecting forms of discrimination;
6. Developing concrete policies/ proposals on care and social protection, Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB), and strengthening national women’s machineries;
7. Strengthening accountability mechanisms through adequate funding and data-driven progress.

Agreed also, is to: 

1. Organize a debrief to members of parliament on the same
2. MoGLSD to organize an online interaction with District focal persons and Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) on the same
3. The meeting also identified the urgent need to examine the performance of affirmative action that mainly favours women for parliamentary representation, and education by having it spread across all other sectors and have term limits for women vying for those specific elective affirmative positions.
4. Commissioner Agella informed members that the development of the Men’s involvement/engagement strategy on ending GBV was underway, supported by Population Services International (PSI)

At the meeting, GNBU was represented by Co-Chair National Joyce Nakato, Co-Chair Int. represented by Justine and the National Coordinator, Ahmed Kibirige from the secretariat.

Ms. Joselyn Bigirwa, the head – IGAD mission promised to offer meeting space to the Ministry for any such engagements, moving forward. 

The commissioner for gender and women affairs Ms. Angela Nakafeero informed members that participation in all side events at the UN Conventions used to be free in the past, but everyone has to pay USD 1000 dollars to be a part of them and called on members to prepare well in advance and apply in time.

Commissioner Angella also expressed the need to ask the government to fully lift the ban on travels to and participation in the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). It should be remembered that the government of Uganda expressed concerns about the UN human rights office in Uganda which in a way limited civil society groups’ participation in some events including attending CSW sessions.  

She further informed attendees that Uganda chairs the high level political forum at the UN, coordinated by the office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

Some of the other participants were: GIZ, OXFAM, Ministry of Defense, two commissioners from MoGLSD, etc.